Reverse
by serennog
Summary: AU. Hunter!Derek, Werewolf!Argents. Derek strikes a deal with a passing omega: intel on Beacon Hills' newest wolf pack in exchange for her freedom. Little does he know he's encountered this particular pack before…
1. Omega

**REVERSE**

_by serennog_

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Summary: AU. Hunter!Derek, Werewolf!Argents. Derek strikes a deal with a passing omega: intel on Beacon Hills' newest wolf pack in exchange for her freedom. Little does he know he's encountered this particular pack before…

Disclaimer: Just borrowing the characters and some of the storylines for my own amusement. I promise to put everything back the way I found it once I'm done.

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_**Chapter One: Omega**_

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"So how do you know it'll come this way?"

Derek gritted his teeth at Scott's whispered question. Yes, it was low, but werewolves had excellent hearing. Plus it was a stupid question.

"Because the others are herding it here." And they were taking their sweet time about it. Derek sent out a mental message to his fellow hunters, ordering them to hurry the hell up. He wanted the omega caught sooner rather than later. Before it got the chance to kill.

There was a moment's silence before Scott spoke again.

"What if the trap doesn't work?"

Derek bit back a growl of frustration. "It'll work." He wasn't some clueless rookie, after all. His parents had been hunters, and his maternal grandparents before them. If anyone knew how to set up a successful trap, it was him. He'd had years of practice. Been taught by the best.

"But what if-"

"Look." Derek turned to the teenager with a warning glare. "Do you want the were that nearly killed you caught, or not?"

Scott blinked, bewildered. "Well, yeah-"

"Then shut up." He gave Scott his back again, peering around the tree they were using for cover, downwind. "Before it hears you."

It was another few minutes before Derek heard it. The distinctive sound of a larger animal running on four legs. He saw a flash of something black in the dark, then the steel-reinforced net was up, the were thrashing and growling like crazy inside it.

Derek spared Scott a 'told you so' look before stepping out into the clearing.

"You're not getting out till I _let_ you out," he said coolly.

The were stopped struggling, its claws retracting as it curled its fingers around the network of ropes. When it shook back its hair, her features were normal. Human. Because it was definitely a 'her'. A woman around his own age with pale skin, dark hair, and wide, terrified eyes that the beam of his torch picked out as blue-green, like the waters of the old quarry on the other side of town.

"Please. I mean you no harm," she said, and Derek was surprised by her accent. British. "I was just passing through."

"That's one I've never heard before," replied Derek cynically. He looked over at the crunch of dead leaves, finding Scott walking distractedly towards him, mouth hanging open like a guppy as he took in the sight of the trapped were.

"That's not the one," he said at last. "That's not the one that tried to kill me. It was a guy."

"Doesn't matter," said Derek. "She's one of them."

As though on cue, a howl rent the night air. Derek watched as the woman grimaced, squeezing her eyes shut and biting down on her full bottom lip, obviously fighting the instinct to respond.

"Go on," he goaded. "Answer the call."

Her eyes flew open, flashed amber. She glared at him. "I'm not protecting him, if that's what you're thinking. Trust me." She looked suddenly nervous, gaze darting in the direction the howl had come. "I don't want to run with that one. He sounds… hostile."

"Like all of you."

She gave him a look that could have frozen boiling water. "Common misconception, hunter. We're not all mindless killers." She cocked her head, then sniffed in distaste. "One of your friends is coming."

Isaac ran into the clearing soon afterwards, breathless.

"Got it?"

Derek jerked his head towards the trap by way of response. Casually, he removed a gun from the holster under his jacket.

"Derek. Don't," said Scott, watching wide-eyed. "She didn't do anything."

"Problem is what she might do," answered Derek tightly. "Can't let that happen."

Scott latched onto his arm as he raised the gun. "No!"

"Isaac."

The blonde boy stepped forward at Derek's command, pulling him away, holding him back as Derek raised the gun again. He looked at her down the barrel, a little startled by the resignation and sadness written all over her face. Weres were normally defiant when faced with their mortality. Angry. Or even smug.

He shook away his unease and lined the gun up with her heart, watching as her eyelids slid shut in preparation for the inevitable. Abruptly, Derek shifted his aim lower and fired.

She blinked down at her thigh for a moment before removing the tranquiliser dart. Her gaze locked with his and she snarled.

"You son of a…"

She was out before she could finish.

"You weren't going to kill her?" asked Scott after a spell of stunned silence.

Derek turned to the teenager who'd stopped struggling in Isaac's grip. "Can't remember saying I would." He put his tranquiliser gun away like it was no big deal. "Besides, I need to ask her some questions."

Erica and Boyd joined them a second later, both winded.

"Tried following the howl," said the former. "Found nothing. This alpha covers his tracks real good."

Derek thought it was more likely a case of incompetence on Erica's part, but said nothing. He drew a switchblade from his pocket and went to cut down the net. The were hit the ground with a heavy thud that might have made him wince if she wasn't a monster.

"Boyd. Carry her."

The black boy moved towards the heap without a word.

"Won't she wake up?" asked Scott.

"That tranq could take out a bear for a few hours," said Derek as he gathered up the net after Boyd had eased the were out of it, carelessly slinging her limp body over his shoulder.

Scott dug his hands in his jeans' pockets, looking suddenly at a loss. "So… what now?"

Derek smiled faintly but there was no humour in it. "Now you leave."

"But-"

"No reason for you to come with," said Derek sharply. "Isaac. Go with him. Make sure he gets home and stays there."

Isaac started leading the other boy away with a hand on his coat-sleeve. Scott turned back.

"Tomorrow night. You'll be hunting again?"

Derek narrowed his eyes. "Maybe."

"I want you to teach me," said Scott with conviction. "I want to know how to track and trap and…" He hesitated. "Everything else."

Derek paused before nodding. He could use another hunter on the team, and, well, he liked a challenge, which he knew the compassionate teen would be. "Tomorrow at sunset. We set out from my place."

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TBC


	2. Deal

_A/N: Thank you for your reviews, follows, and faves folks! Much appreciated :)_

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_**Chapter Two: Deal**_

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Megan came to with a yelp and furiously blinked away the ice-cold water thrown in her face. She saw a blonde girl saunter away with an empty bucket in her perfectly manicured hand, crimson lips curled in a smirk. Before Megan could do much more than scowl at her, the dark-haired hunter who'd shot her with the tranq stepped forward.

"What's your name?"

Megan felt her hackles rise and inhaled deeply, fighting back the predatory urge to rip his throat out. "No 'sorry for knocking you out, kidnapping you, then chaining you to a wall'?" She jingled her wrists for emphasis.

The hunter's face remained infuriatingly neutral. What was worse, he completely ignored the comment.

"I'm Derek. Erica." He indicated the bitchy blonde. "Isaac." The other hunter. "And Boyd." The quiet yet intimidating black boy standing with his arms crossed in the far corner.

"Megan," she said grudgingly.

"What are you doing in Beacon Hills?" asked Derek, evidently leading the interrogation.

Megan bit back a sigh of frustration. "I told you I was just passing through."

"Okay, let me rephrase that. What are you doing so far away from home?"

"Running away from hunters like you," she spat. "And for the record, I've never killed anyone."

The blonde – Erica – snorted in disbelief.

"It's true," said Derek, shooting the girl a quelling look. "Her eyes are gold."

Erica sniffed like she wasn't convinced but didn't make to argue. Derek returned his attention to Megan.

"You were born a were?"

She understood where the question came from. Those born with it could control their urges better. "No. I was bitten when I was sixteen."

Derek nodded in understanding. "So you were taught."

She changed the subject. "I don't think you're really interested in my past, so let's stop beating about the bush, shall we? What do you really want to know?"

His lips twitched ever so slightly upwards. Had Megan blinked, she'd have missed it. "There's a new pack in town." He crossed his arms, biceps rippling beneath the rolled-up sleeves of his grey sweater. "Seems too much of a coincidence that you show up at the same time."

"I'm omega," said Megan defensively.

"Doesn't mean you don't want a pack. That's were instinct, right?"

Megan sighed, defeated. "Alright, fine. But honestly, I was only passing through. Then I caught the scent and…" She made a sound of frustration. "Do you know how hard it is? Trying to pass an alpha by when all your instincts scream at you to submit yourself to them?"

Derek stepped closer until she could feel his breath wash over her face. His eyes focused on hers, _searching_. She suppressed the urge to look away with not a little difficulty.

"You don't know the pack?" Before she could answer he had her chin in a vice-like grip. "Don't lie to me."

"I swear I don't. Haven't encountered any of the members while I've been here."

He kept looking at her for a long, tense moment, then abruptly released her chin. "Here's the deal. You do something for me, and I promise to let you go. I'll let you leave town, no trouble."

Megan watched him carefully. "I'm supposed to take your word on this?"

He met her gaze squarely. "I don't break my promises." His heartbeat remained even. He wasn't lying.

She paused before answering. "What do you want me to do?"

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If the situation wasn't so dire, Derek might have laughed at Megan's incredulous expression.

"You're joking."

"Not one bit," he said. "So, deal?"

She scowled at him. "I thought I told you before. I don't want to run with this alpha. Besides, when I throw myself at his mercy like you want me to, he'll smell you on me."

Derek shrugged, unconcerned. "You were caught. You escaped."

Megan snorted, pointedly letting her eyes scan the basement. There were no windows and the only door was metal, as thick as the width of Derek's palm, adorned on the outside with more latches and locks than he could count. "A likely story."

"We could chase you," said Derek seriously, taking a step towards her. It was a casual move but with an underlying threat. "Make it more believable. Maybe shoot you in the arm."

"Do you know, this is sounding more and more pleasant," she said, voice laced with sarcasm.

"There's an alternative." He gave a curt nod and Isaac crossed to a cabinet against the far wall.

"What kind of alternative?" asked Megan uneasily.

Derek saw in her face the exact instant when Isaac opened the drawer. She cried out, squeezing her eyes shut as her features shifted, slowly sharpening.

"No! No, please!" She trembled, flattening herself against the wall like she was trying to disappear through it.

Derek accepted the small envelope Isaac passed to him, emptying its contents into the palm of his hand. The pressed purple flowers stood out starkly against his skin.

"Wolfsbane," said Derek dispassionately. "It has a few uses. It can kill. It can heal. But I have a particular use in mind for you." He moved closer, raising his hand so that it hovered just shy of her face. "How does it feel, Megan? Like your animal side's tearing you up inside?"

She was crying, tears falling thick and fast from behind her closed eyelids. "I'll do anything." Her voice was part-growl. "Please. Just don't…"

He waited a moment before stepping back, pouring the flowers back into their sleeve. Isaac took it from him as he went to wash his hands in the old square sink near the door.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Megan. I appreciate it."

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TBC


	3. Run

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_**Chapter Three: Run**_

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As Megan was led out of the house the next evening by Boyd, his hand gripping the chain of her handcuffs, she considered her options.

Her eyes wandered over the group waiting for them just beyond the porch steps. Derek, Isaac, Erica, all armed, and two teenage boys – one of whom she recognised as the kid from the previous night. The one who'd tried to stop Derek from shooting her. The other was a lanky boy with close-cropped hair. He was busy arguing with the lead hunter.

"Hey, I'm not letting Scott prance around the woods alone with you guys, okay? Deal with it. I mean, you could be…" He made a noise that was somewhere between a snort and a splutter, gesturing Derek with a wide sweep of his hand. "Like… psychos or something."

Derek took a threatening step towards the boy who swallowed and recoiled. "I'm more than happy to test that theory."

"Derek." The first boy – Scott – moved between them. "You said you'd teach me. Stiles wants in too."

Derek sized Stiles up, seeming far from impressed. He shook his head 'no'. "You won't last two seconds out there, kid. And you." He turned to Scott. "I take back what I said. Go home. And take your boyfriend with you."

Stiles denied the claim, affronted, while Scott glared.

"But you said-"

"I've changed my mind." Derek gestured for Boyd to join them. Megan trudged behind, realising that even if she freed herself from Boyd's grip, she'd probably get shot before managing to escape. She was fast, but the treeline was too far away.

Derek's stare was penetrating as though he knew exactly what she was thinking.

"Remember," he said as he came towards her with the key. "I want numbers, names, and a location."

"And if I run?"

"I'll find you." He said it like a promise, slowly unlocking the handcuffs. "Trust me. You'd rather have me as a friend than an enemy." His thumbs grazed the insides of her wrists as he pulled off the cuffs. Megan jerked her hands away as though she'd been burned. She glared at him.

"Friends don't torture each other."

He spared her another of his intense looks before changing the subject. "There's a ring of mountain ash and wolfsbane protecting the house. I've cleared a path." He pointed towards the lane and Megan grudgingly nodded her understanding.

"Wait, wait, wait." It was Stiles, gesturing wildly for a time out. Megan found herself on the receiving end of a curious look. Puppy-like. "You're one of them? A werewolf?"

"A threat to humanity. Or so they say." She smiled wryly, letting her animal side slip through enough to reach her eyes. Stiles swallowed nervously before opening his mouth to speak again, but was interrupted by Erica.

"Are we doing this or what?" She rolled her eyes and shifted her crossbow to rest against her shoulder.

Megan levelled the girl with a glare, then turned to watch Derek. He was busy examining a clip which she noticed contained actual bullets. Not wolfsbane-laced, but still potentially deadly if he hit her in the right place.

"You weren't serious," said Megan, not quite able to keep the concern from her voice. "When you said you'd shoot me."

He met her eyes. With a deft movement, he replaced the clip without looking. "I suggest you run fast."

Fuelled by an abrupt flare of anger she approached him, stopping just shy of brushing his chest with her own. "You're cruel, you know that?"

Derek cocked his head as he looked at her. Suddenly he smiled, baring a set of perfect white teeth. It was chilling. "Nice guys finish last. So what're you waiting for?" He leaned in till his mouth hovered over her ear. "Go."

Megan shuddered as she backed away from him and fled.

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Derek stopped short, releasing a frustrated breath through his nose. Isaac was the only hunter to notice. The boy arched his brows in askance. Derek shook his head and gestured for him to carry on, which he did after a pause.

"I know you're there." Derek slowly turned, eyes narrowed as he scanned the forest. "I thought I told you to go home."

Scott emerged from behind a tree, Stiles close behind him, both looking sheepish. The former shrugged.

"You really expected us to leave?"

Derek sighed. "Five animal attacks, three of them fatal, in two weeks." He briefly thought of his sister's mutilated body, but quickly quashed the memory. "You think it's a great idea to be out here, unarmed?"

"Well, if you'd given us weapons-" started Scott stubbornly.

"Shut up," said Derek, pointing an angry finger at the boy. "I said no. If the alpha comes for you again, I'm not saving your ass like last time." He made to turn away but Scott spoke again.

"You do that a lot."

"What?" asked Derek impatiently.

Scott made a face like it was obvious. "Say things you don't mean. I know you won't let it get me. Or that you won't hurt wolf girl."

Derek was simultaneously surprised and furious. His anger won out. He stalked closer to the teen, grabbing a fistful of his coat. "You don't know me. Don't pretend that you do."

"Hey, hey, hey," said Stiles, moving as though to pull him away. "Dude, back off." He yelped as Derek gripped the front of his shirt in his free hand.

"You both have a death wish, huh?" Derek shoved the boys back. "Fine." He pulled a gun from one of the holsters under his jacket, offering it with the grip towards Scott. The boy hesitantly took it, holding the weapon like it might explode in his hand.

"Click off the safety," said Derek. "Point and pull the trigger if you see something with sharp claws and teeth."

"Wait. One for the both of us?" asked Stiles.

Derek spared him a long-suffering look before turning to walk away. "You stick close together. And more importantly, you stick close to me." A howl rang out through the reserve, echoing eerily off the trees. Derek glanced at the boys over his shoulder. "You stray, you die."

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Megan skidded to a halt at the howl and pivoted on the spot, trying to gauge a direction, but was saved the trouble when she smelled it. Another were, and close by.

Cautiously, she followed the scent. Her claws were already out when a figure stepped into her path.

It was a teenage girl. She had her hands up with palms facing outward, her pale, pixie-like face etched with concern.

"It's okay," she said. "I'm a friend." Her eyes flashed amber, as good an identification as any. "I know a safe place."

Megan didn't move. "How do I know your alpha won't kill me for trespassing?"

The girl fervently shook her head. "He won't. I promise."

A yell made them both startle. Megan recognised the voice as Erica's and briefly wondered what the huntress thought she was doing making such a godawful racket.

"Come on."

Before Megan could respond the girl had her wrist in a strong grip that belied her slight stature, urging her into a run. She didn't resist.

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TBC


	4. Stalked

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_**Chapter Four: Stalked**_

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When the hunters' voices and footfalls had faded into the distance, the girl started talking. She introduced herself as Allison.

"What's yours?"

"Megan."

Allison nodded thoughtfully. "You're not from around here."

Megan shook her head, her thoughts on a recent and very similar line of questioning. "No."

Allison seemed to take her reticence as something other than distraction. She found herself on the receiving end of a worried look. "Did they hurt you?"

"I'll be fine," answered Megan with deliberate vagueness, shrugging off Allison's concern. "So… have you been here long?"

"Two weeks." The girl cocked her head, dark eyes on the middle distance. "We were here before, a few years back. I was just a kid then, but God, I loved these woods. Still do." She smiled and Megan couldn't help but mirror it. "How about you? We only caught your scent three days ago. Before…" She cast an anxious glance over her shoulder. Megan got her meaning and wondered how much to tell her.

"That's about when I got here." She shrugged. "I've been wandering. I was heading north, actually."

"Running or searching?"

Megan was surprised by the question, suddenly seeing Allison in a new light. The girl was wise beyond her years. "A mixture of both, I guess." Now that she really thought about it she realised it was true. Running from her past, searching for her future.

"Well, it might be a good idea to lie low for a while. Derek Hale's pretty relentless, or so dad says. Really hates our kind."

Megan tried to sound casual as she asked, "Any particular reason why?" Beyond her dislike of him, she was curious about what made Derek tick.

Allison pursed her lips. "Most of his family was killed by an omega, but he blamed my dad and his pack." She snorted. "Like dad and the others would break the pact."

Noticing Megan's confused look, Allison offered up a brief explanation. "They came to an agreement, the hunters and our kind. They'd live together peacefully as long as there was no killing. The omega ruined things."

Megan bit her lip and took a moment to digest the information.

"I hope you don't mind my asking," she said at length. "But why have you come back?"

Allison smiled reassuringly, letting her know she hadn't overstepped the mark. "Can I ask you a question first?" At Megan's nod she continued. "Have you ever felt a connection to a place? Like you just…" She heaved a wistful sigh. "_Belong_?"

Megan's answer was instant. "No. At least, not in a long time." She felt a pang deep in her chest. Nostalgia.

"I'm sorry." The girl was contrite. "But that's how we feel about Beacon Hills. Nowhere else really felt like home. Dad's going to try and reason with Hale."

"And if that doesn't work?"

Allison's jaw tensed and eyes flashed. "Then we fight."

Megan wondered how Derek would take the ultimatum, but let the thought drop as she followed Allison out of the trees. They were on the end of a moonlit street. The expensive-looking houses on either side stood dark and still.

"Allison…"

"It's okay." She walked back to where Megan had come to a stop, levelling the older girl with an encouraging look. "We live in a fancy house. It's good for staying under the radar. C'mon."

Gently, she took Megan's arm, leading her to the fourth house on the left. The front door was already open as they traversed the yard, and standing on the threshold was a woman with cropped red hair Megan instantly guessed was Allison's mother. They had the same fair complexion and small mouths, but there was something about the mother Megan didn't like. Perhaps the way her welcoming smile fell short of her eyes.

Entering the warm, fashionably-furnished home on Allison's heels, Megan registered the worrying realisation that she might have jumped from the frying pan and into the fire.

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Derek raised his hand, gesturing for Scott and Stiles to stop. He heard their footfalls die behind him and turned his head, listening out for the same noise he thought he'd heard earlier. A growl.

The forest, however, was completely silent. Not a good sign.

"Derek, what-?"

He spun towards Scott with a finger pressed to his lips. After a moment he spoke.

"You hear that?"

Stiles looked around anxiously while Scott shook his head 'no'. "I don't hear anything."

"Exactly," said Derek. He tightened his grip on his gun. "We're being stalked."

"Please tell me you mean by some adorable woodland animal," said Stiles tremulously. "Like, say, a rabbit."

Derek opened his mouth in preparation for a sharp comeback, but was interrupted by a snarl.

Without so much as a second's hesitation he let his training take over, swinging towards the noise with his gun raised. He pulled the trigger, only barely missing a pair of glowing blue eyes as they darted out of sight. The bullet bit into the trunk of a nearby tree.

"Stay together and hold your ground," said Derek, backing up towards where the boys stood frozen in place. "Whatever you do, don't run. Its instinct is to follow and take you down." He didn't stop moving till his shoulders bumped with Scott on the one side, Stiles on the other. They formed a small circle.

It was only then that Derek noticed Scott's ragged breaths.

"Scott," he said, attempting a soothing tone but failing miserably. "Don't let it sense your fear. _Breathe_."

"He has asthma, you jerk," snapped Stiles.

Derek spared Scott a surprised glance and cast his mind back to the day before last. The day he'd saved the boy. He could remember the shallow breaths but had put it down to terror, and been far too absorbed in shooting at the alpha's fast-retreating back to notice if Scott had used an inhaler.

Inwardly, Derek cursed. If he'd known…

There was a flash of movement between two trees to Derek's right. He fired, but missed.

"Give me the gun, Scott," said Stiles with unexpected authority.

Derek watched through the corner of his eye as Scott, gasping, handed the gun over before digging in his jeans' pocket. He produced a worn-looking inhaler and brought it to his mouth, taking a desperate drag.

The were moved again, dashing from the cover of one tree for another. It was getting steadily closer.

"Why won't it just attack?" asked Stiles.

Derek compressed his lips as he thought about it. They outnumbered the were, sure, but considering Scott's weakness and Stiles' inexperience, they were hardly a match for it.

"It's toying with us," said Derek finally.

"Why?" asked Scott. His breathing had evened out some.

"Why does a cat play with its food?"

"Wow," said Stiles sarcastically. "You know, you're great with words. I feel completely reassured."

Derek shushed him. Above Scott's still-raspy breathing came the crack of a twig snapping. Derek pivoted towards the sound just as another howl drifted through the reserve. He saw the blue-eyed were pause in its advance, cocking its head as though in consideration. A moment later it grunted and backed off before finally running for the cover of denser woods.

Derek swallowed thickly as he lowered his gun.

"Why didn't you shoot it?" said Scott.

The hunter briefly shut his eyes. Ingrained on the backs of his eyelids was the were's face, features sharp and canine, but vaguely resembling his own...

"Derek?"

"Don't question me," said Derek harshly. "And don't ever follow me again, you hear?" He stormed off without waiting for a response.

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TBC

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_A/N: Thanks again for your reviews, follows, and faves, you lovely, lovely readers! xx _


	5. Dangerous

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**_Chapter Five: Dangerous_**

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When Allison's mother – Victoria – suggested she go '_wash off the stench of those hunters_', Megan didn't put up much resistance. Truth was, she was all-too-aware of how awful she smelled beneath the hunters' scents clinging to her person. Months spent washing in grubby motel showers, diner bathrooms, and even occasionally a river or lake, had taken their toll.

Megan sighed as the hot water from the shower head pummelled her skin, making it tingle pleasantly, and tried to recall the last time she'd had a decent wash.

_Not since before James' murder…_

A lump formed in her throat at the realisation. Swallowing back a sob, she leaned her forehead against the cool tiled wall and willed herself not to outright cry. She'd done enough of that in the beginning, during the rare moments she'd been able to stop running, pause to think and eat and sleep. More tears wouldn't bring him back. Nothing would.

Sucking in a shaky, fortifying breath, she picked up one of the bottles Allison had pointed out to her earlier to distract herself. Shampoo. Beyond the tang of chemicals, she identified the scent as honey and squeezed a dollop – not too much – onto her palm. Unlike the cheap stuff she'd been using lately, it easily built up a foam as she kneaded it into her hair.

When she was done she wrapped herself in a fluffy towel, twisting another into a turban on her head. Soft footsteps reached her ears a moment before there came a knock on the bathroom door.

"Hey, it's Allison. I've brought you clean clothes."

Megan opened the door to find the girl smiling at her.

"You look better." Her eyes widened as she realised what she'd just said. "I mean-"

Megan huffed a laugh, sweeping her hand through the air in a dismissive gesture. "It's okay. I imagine I looked like a wild thing."

"Well…" The smile returned. "A little. So mom picked these out." She indicated the bundle in her hands. "She's pretty good at guessing sizes."

Megan accepted the clothes with thanks.

"And could you come downstairs when you're dressed? Dad and the others should be back soon. He'll need to talk to you."

Megan hesitated briefly before nodding. It was enough to earn her reassuring look.

"You'll be fine," said Allison. "It's just protocol. Dad has major trust issues." She rolled her eyes while Megan tried really hard to keep her heartbeat even, exactly like James had taught her. "So I'll leave you to it."

Megan shut the door on Allison's retreating back and went about getting dressed, slipping on her old underwear that Victoria had quickly washed and dried. Over those went a pair of cropped jeans that accommodated her wide – or as her grandmother had liked to say, '_birthing_' – hips. The black long-sleeved tee was another story, however. It had a v-neck that dipped too low for Megan's liking, and was uncomfortably snug in the chest area. But remembering Allison and Victoria's figures, Megan supposed she was lucky to have something that wouldn't actually tear at the seams.

As she towel-dried her hair, Megan heard the front door open and voices come wafting up the stairs. She tipped her head, concentrating. There were three newcomers. Two men and a woman.

"I was just having a little fun," said the woman.

"That could cost us a renewal of the pact," said one of the men angrily. Hearing the authority behind his words, Megan guessed he was the alpha.

"It's not like I bit the kid," defended the woman.

The alpha ignored her. "And _you_. Did he see you?"

"It might work in our favour," said the second man. His voice oozed like something viscous, not sweet enough to be honey. "Would he kill his own uncle?"

"You come from a family of hunters," said the alpha tersely. "You tell me."

Allison joined the conversation before he could answer. "What happened?"

The alpha sighed. "Nothing bad. Did you find her?"

"Yeah. She'll be down in a minute."

Someone was making their way up the stairs.

"Where are you going?" asked the alpha.

"Nature calls," said the other man sarcastically. "If that's okay with you?"

The alpha growled. "Don't test my patience, Peter." He said nothing more but moved out of Megan's hearing range. The footsteps soon continued up the stairs.

Gathering the used towels, Megan made her way to the door and opened it just as the man named Peter reached the second floor. He stopped, surprised, before giving her a very deliberate once over. Megan felt her skin crawl.

"So you're the omega." He came towards her with slow, predatory steps.

Megan stepped aside instead of answering. "I've finished with the bathroom." She tried moving passed him but he raised a hand to the wall, blocking her path.

That was when she smelled it. The faintest trace of Derek, Scott, and Stiles' scents. Not strong enough to have come from physical contact, but probably carried onto his clothes by the wind.

Swallowing nervously, Megan looked up into Peter's face and remembered what she'd overheard earlier. She didn't need to be told who his nephew was. They had the same bone structure, the same dimple in their chins, the same nerve-wracking presence. Although Megan sensed that Derek, despite his threats, was by far the less dangerous of the two.

"Is there a name that goes with that pretty face?"

"Megan." She looked away uncomfortably and startled when she felt his fingers ghost over her cheek. Her grip tightened on the towels and she heard a faint tearing sound. Her claws lengthening into the fabric.

"I'm not surprised Derek couldn't kill you."

"The alpha wants to talk to me." Megan stepped determinedly forward, relieved when Peter's arm fell away. She didn't look back as she made her way downstairs, but could feel him watching her, his eyes boring a hole into the back of her head.

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TBC.


	6. Pack

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**_Chapter Six: Pack_**

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Megan hesitated on the threshold to the living room, gaze sweeping over its occupants. She could see the backs of two heads on the sofa in front of her. One of them she recognised as Allison while the other, with long, honey-coloured hair, she guessed was the woman who'd arrived with Peter and the alpha. Victoria was watching her from an armchair near the fireplace, and the alpha was standing beside her with an elbow on the mantel. His eyes were an uncanny blue that made Megan uncomfortable. Too perceptive.

"I, um…" She tightened her grip on the towels before remembering she still had them. "I couldn't find the laundry basket, and…" Her face grew hot with embarrassment as she indicated the claw marks. "I'm so sorry. I'll buy new ones."

Victoria rose and came towards her with the same not-quite-genuine smile as before. "Don't worry about it. Happens all the time." She took the torn bundle and left the room without another word.

"So…" said the alpha. He gestured for Megan to come sit. She took the armchair on the opposite side of the fireplace, perching herself tensely on its edge. "Allison's told me a little about you, Megan. Is there a last name that goes with that?"

She hesitated, catching Allison's eye. The girl smiled encouragingly.

"Pritchard."

"I'm Chris Argent," said the alpha amiably. "You've met my daughter Allison, and my wife Victoria." He jerked his head in the as-yet-unnamed woman's direction. She regarded Megan disdainfully. Sizing her up. "This is my sister, Kate."

"You're a family unit," concluded Megan out loud.

"With the exception of Peter," said Chris, but didn't elaborate. It seemed like a sore point. "Where are you from, Megan?"

She figured there was little harm in telling them some of her past. "I was born and raised in Wales, but then…" She swallowed thickly, skipping over the obvious. "I moved around a lot."

"By yourself?"

"On and off. When I craved company, I'd go back to a particular pack." Her thoughts strayed again to James. She could see him in her mind's eye. Tall, dark, and lithe, noble features, grey eyes. He'd been strict but never unkind, and had understood her like no other.

"The alpha," continued Megan, "he found me during my third full moon. Took me in and taught me everything I know."

"And where is this alpha now?" When Megan didn't answer save to swallow around the lump in her throat, Chris nodded in understanding. He even looked faintly sympathetic. "I see."

"Dad." Allison fixed her father with a pleading look. "Can she stay here? At least until she's ready to move on."

"Allison, honey." It was Kate who spoke. Her tone was sweet, but her smile was brittle. "We barely know her. No offence." She directed the last at Megan, and from the dangerous gleam in the other woman's eyes she knew every offence was meant. Kate wanted her gone.

"No offence taken," said Megan evenly. "Thank you for your help. I won't intrude on you any longer." Honestly, she'd rather deal with Derek's displeasure than stay. There was something off with the pack, and Megan wasn't so sure anymore that the alpha posed the biggest threat.

As she stood to leave she didn't miss the satisfied smirk creep over Kate's face. It disappeared when Allison suddenly came to Megan's side. There was a stubborn set to the girl's jaw.

"You can't let her leave. Not while Derek's so determined to hunt us down."

Kate was far from amused by her niece's outburst. "Allison-"

"She's right," said Chris on a sigh. His eyes searched Megan's. She clamped down on the urge to look away. "You've already been caught once. What happened?"

_Easy does it_, thought Megan. _Just tell them the truth and leave out the details_. "Derek thought we were connected. He questioned me about you and your pack. Got angry when I couldn't tell him anything."

"And how did you escape?" Kate rose and took a step closer, eyes narrowed in challenge.

"The young hunter." Megan inwardly congratulated herself for her quick thinking. "The blonde boy. I tricked him and stole his keys."

"Quite a feat." The voice came from the open doorway. Peter stood leaning against the frame, mouth quirked in the hint of a smile. "I mean, hunters don't usually let their guard down so easily."

Megan fought back a swell of panic. His expression was almost knowing.

"He's young," she defended. "Inexperienced."

Peter shrugged in response, pushing himself upright. "So, alpha. Do we take a vote?"

Chris scowled at the other were. "She stays."

Kate opened her mouth to protest but was cut across by Allison. "Are we done here?"

"For tonight." Chris had barely got the words out before Allison snatched up Megan's hand and practically dragged her out of the room.

"Sorry about that," said the girl as they made their way up the stairs. "Like I said before, trust issues. You okay?"

Megan released a tremulous breath. "Yeah. Fine." But she only half listened as Allison talked about the spare bedroom and other things. Downstairs, Kate was scolding her brother.

"Are you crazy? She was lying!"

"You're letting your feelings get in the way," replied the alpha. There was a meaningful pause before he spoke again, voice low and dangerous. "Keep your distance, Peter. One wrong move and I'll-"

"Rip my throat out," quoted Peter, sounding vaguely amused. "I know."

"You think I'm kidding?"

"Well," said Peter with sudden severity. "You didn't when I begged you all those years ago."

Megan's eavesdropping came to an end when Allison bade her goodnight and shut the door. After a moment's consideration Megan locked it. Hardly an obstacle for a werewolf, but at least it would extinguish the element of surprise.

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TBC.


End file.
